Felt Like Yesterday

I shrugged off the after effects of the singles' retreat like dust on my shoulders. Its not because I was not successful in finding some one. It was never my goal in the first place. I really enjoyed that two nights and two days of fun and relaxation. I didn't even realize the silly antics I played that saturday night and morning after (I just hope they won't think differently of me after that).

That wasn't the point. I had to shrug it off and face something more formidable than that. Like what the co-owner, Mr. J. Lacson said to me at the end of the day it was a "trial by fire."

I'll just be surprised with what I can live through.

Back tracking a few days before today (monday). Last thursday, I was called by the new center I applied for to fill in my Mondays. They told me the schedule. I had 3 evaluations for that day, 1 adult, 2 pedia patients. I almost leaped for joy. At last I had an adult patient.

Leap it was indeed!

Out of the oven into the fire. That kind of leap!

The first trial

I was an hour early. The center was not even open yet. Most of the therapists were not yet in. I wasn't excited. As I have told earlier, I was too nervous. It was like stepping into a familiar yet different world. I couldn't compose my self. It's just another eval you don't have to worry about anything, I told my self. But I had that gut feeling that things won't be alright today.

The first pedia patient tried the most of my skills. The moment the child saw me, the child cried until 15 minutes left of the session. The whole 45 minutes was a test of patience and skill. Both of which, I am afraid were still yet to be developed. I was able to get some of the child's skills with that 15 minutes.

I bombarded the child with toys, but it seemed that the combined powers of dora, barney, spongebob, blues clues and gang seem to have found their match with this child. It seemed that there was no peeling this kid off the mother.

At last I was successful, the child was pacified but the time was nearly up.

The Second trial

I observed my mentor until the end of lunch time. After lunch was another big leap into the fire.

It was my first adult patient in my career as a newly grad SP. I have handled adults before as an intern, but I can't really say that I've met them all. Especially this one.

It was ego mixed with emotional lability. It was someone who have reached the height of a career and fallen into despair with the onset of stroke. That and a hemicraniectomy. And voila! A patient from somewhere else.

What else could I do, it was part of the job description: never battle with the egotistical and emotionally labile. Always hit them with the ten ton rationale: that they can't speak properly and you can help them (I hope!).

The Third trial

The third is just like the first and second combined and tripled. The kid was cute. He was funny and bright. But he was not in the mood and he was late. So no matter what prodding I ever did, even with the added semi-magical powers of THE CAR, THE BALL, and THE STICKER, it still didn't work.

In the end the session had to be continued. That was when the volcano started to burst. That's all that there is to say with the addition that it wasn't the kid's fault.

So there. If that wasn't enough to put the memories of the singles' retreat into oblivion for the day, then call me a kill joy.